Letters: Mar 14/13

Mar 14, 2013

Re: Warden Catches Flack For Community Projects

In response to Frontenac County Council (County Council, Frontenac News, Feb. 28/13) questioning community project funding the Sharbot Lake Farmers Market (SLFM) received from county Federal Gas tax rebate funds, I would like to point out that a wider community than Central Frontenac Township will benefit from both projects the SLFM applied for.

Our vendors come from within a 100 km radius of Sharbot Lake, and from all three townships. Our market customers also come from all three townships and beyond, and our patrons and other people using the beach come from those townships and all over, some of the tourists visiting the market and the beach come from as far as Israel and Spain!.

SLFM has made a point to work on striking up partnerships with other local markets and will continue to cultivate these partnerships. The first project the SLFM received gas tax funding for is aimed at promoting local food through education, which certainly is not limited to Central Frontenac.

SLFM did not intend to apply a second time, but when we suggested to the township on December 20 that there was funding available for revitalization of the beach (washrooms, basic landscaping, and playground, the township encouraged SLFM to apply for that funding as well. There was no one else to step up to the plate. The application was submitted the next day, with help from Central Frontenac staff. The money was available, and it was simply a case of use it or lose it, and we saw the public need. I find it discouraging, demoralizing and demeaning to attack active community volunteers such as our market volunteers for supporting projects that will serve not only Central Frontenac, but the whole County. We simply saw a long-time public need and stepped up to the plate when no one else would.

I would like to further clarify that the money will be used to make the beach a better facility by making the washrooms functional, bringing the playground up to safety standards, and doing some basic landscaping on the parking lot and around the pavilion to even out the ground and provide proper drainage.

We have several market customers who are elderly or disabled and the uneven ground poses a very real safety hazard to them as well as able-bodied persons, whether they are customers, vendors, or any of the community or tourists at any time – not just during market hours – over the summer season.

As far as fairness goes, we applied; we qualified, and the benefits extend beyond Central Frontenac – so what’s the beef? The County number and website are available to the public and all councilors, and the grant process is not a deeply-guarded secret.

I urge all councilors to become better informed so that they can support – instead of thwart – the efforts of active volunteer groups who are in a position to identify the needs of the public.

Mary de Bassecourt

To: Residents of South Frontenac

As of March 16, Doug and I will no longer be at the Portland Landfill site. There are some major changes coming in the near future and they do not include us. We feel some regret - things do change. But in some cases, I wish they would not. We are truly going to miss our regular customers and their kids and their dogs. We quite enjoyed handing out cookies to the kids (big and small) and the dogs knew they were going to get a little something as well. The “dump” has become a place where regulars gather to share the news of the area and business people can do a little net working with other patrons. This aspect of the “dump” will be missed. We hope we have been good ambassadors for South Frontenac. It has been a pleasure working with D&B enterprise. They are good people.

Doug and Anne Kellett

Re: Scott Reid Mailings

Scott Reid is now declaring that the Conservative Party of Canada is "going to publish First Nations' financial statements online". There are some difficulties though: The F35 fiasco. The cost information eventually came - but from the United States. 
Tony ( Gazebo ) Clement's $50,000,000 to his riding - with almost no paper trail. 
The Parliamentary Budget Officer taking the Harper Government to court - in an effort to get the budgetary information that Members of Parliament need to make rational financial decisions.

Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin appointed by the Prime Minister himself - party hacks who, as Canadian Senators, refuse to disclose their, very questionable, spending.

Mr. Reid really needs to take a shovel and do some work in the Conservative Party's stinking Stygian stables before he points accusing fingers at Canada's native peoples.

Paul Isaacs

Re: NF mayor awarded Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal

Wow -- I’m sure the constituents of North Frontenac are just brimming with happiness and pride that the mayor has earned such an honor. Some might even be prompted to ask the insulting impertinent discourteous question “Whatever for?”

Some mayors and reeves in surrounding municipalities have shown the moral courage to reject this award as something they personally deserve. It is not. Just because they happen to be head of the municipal council this year, or this month does not merit any such special distinction or right. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals distributed to heads of municipalities are really a tribute from the Queen to all the people, past and present, who have served the community.

Whilst some recipient mayors have placed the medal in a township display place of honor, others have returned it to the Queen’s Canadian Representative saying “No thank you. As mayor I am paid very well, happy and pleased to serve and willingly chose to do so. Give it to someone who has actually earned it”.

Leo Ladouceur